Container



March 16, 1948. c. 0. BALL AL CONTAINER Filed Feb. 2, 1945 y 2 5 M M 8 1 m .4 v .3 J L "z m m i v m .m 2 m J H nj Z a. i Y m W 1 n A n k w U 3% J 7 "w J 4 a 6 4 1 1 1 a Q n m J .P )@m J f .M Z

Patented Mar. 16, 1948 PATENT orrics CONTAINER.

Charles 0. Ball, Gerald L. Swope, and Franklin D. Scott, Toledo, Ohio, assignors to Owens- Illinois Glass Company, a corporation of Ohio Application February 2, 1945, Serial No. 575,781

5 Claims. (01. 229-11) Our invention relates to containers for liquids and the like, and particularly to containers formed from blanks of fibrous sheet material folded to form the containers'and held in shape by adhesive material. In the preferred form of the invention as herein illustrated, the upper end of the container comprises a three-ply assembly of folded flaps provided with a pour opening therethrough and a plug for sealing the opening.

A primary, object of .the invention is to provide a construction by which the walls of the pour opening and the surrounding surfaces which are exposed to contact with the liquid being dispensed from the container, are completely protected against contamination before and during removal of the contents from the container.

Other objects of the invention will appear hereinafter.

Referring to the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view of a blank of the sheet material cut and scored preparatory to folding.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view on a somewhat larger scale, showing the blank partly folded to form the body portion of the container but with the flaps which form the top of the container opened out in a horizontal plane for the purpose of illustration.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the sealed container, the lower portion being broken away,

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional elevation showing the container opened.

Fig. 5 is a detail view of the plug for sealing the pour opening.

Referring to Fig. l, a blank I is cut or stamped 2 formed from flaps or extensions of the container body, said flaps being folded inwardly along a score line 25 which defines the top margin of the container. The lowermost or inner ply consists of a short flap 26 and a comparatively long flap 21 forming respectively extensions of the narrow sides l1 and I8, After the blank has been folded as shown in Fig. 2 to form the body of the container, the flaps 26 and 21 are folded inwardly so that their .free edges are juxtaposed or meet at a line 28 (Fig. 4), thus forming thebottom or innermost layer or ply of the container top. Slits 29 and 30 (Fig. 1) separate the flaps 26 and 21 respectively from the adjoining flaps,

l5 permitting the flaps to be folded. In Fig. 2 the top-forming flaps are all shown swung outwardly to a horizontal position-for purposes of illustration but in practice may be folded directly inward from their vertical positions after the blank has been folded to form the body.

The intermediate ply of the container top is formed by a flap 3| which is preferably the full length and width of th container top. The

flap 3| includes a removablesecticn 32 defined by a slit 33 and weakened lines .34 which extend I The weakened 80 The uppermost or outer ply of the container top is formedby a flap 35 wh ich,when folded inwardly, overlies the ply 3| and is coextensive therewith. The flap 35 is further provided with an integral'marginal strip 36 foldable downward from sheet stock which may be a fibrous mate-' 35 along a score line 36 which extends across the rial such as paper, cardboard or the like. 'The blank is provided with score lines or creases along which it is folded for shaping the container. Thees include the parallel score lines ll, 12, I3 and M at which the blank is folded for shaping the rectangular body of the'container including the broad sides l5, l6 and narrower sides l1 and I8, The strip I9 which is an extension of the side wall I5 is folded along the score line H and provides a lap for the body seam, being adhered to the adjoining side l8 when the blank is folded. The bottom of the containeris formed by folding up the long and the shortfiaps' 20 and 2| which form extensions of the' broad and narrow sides of the containerfbody, said flaps being turned inward along"'the score line 22 'at the bottom rnargin 'o'f, the container body, The bottom fiaps are serial ated by slits 23.

. The upper endor top of the container com- 'prises three layersorlplies of the sheet material flap 35, and which in the unfolded blank (Fig. 1) is an extension of the score line I l.

The ply 35 comprises a section 31 which serves as a lid and is adapted to be lifted or swun 4o upwardly about a line 38, This line may be a scored or we'akened line formed in the flap 35 adjacent-to one end thereof and which forms a hinge for the lid. The sides of the section 31 are defined by scored, perforated or otherwise weakened lines 39 extending from, the hi nge'line 38 tothe outer edge of the strip 36, permitting 'the section 31 to be easily disconnected along the lines 39 as presently described; The flaps 21, 3| and 35 are respectively provided with openings 40, 4| and 42 which, when the flaps are folded to form thetop of the container, are brought into register and form a pour-out opening. A plug 43 provides a closure for said opening. The plug is formed with a marginal flange 44 adapted to seat. on the top 3 surface of the removable section 32 of the flap 3|. The opening 42 in the hinged top section 31 is large enough toi; accommodate the plug flange 44 so that the latter may seat on the section 32. The upper surface of the flange 44 may be flush with the top surface of section 31 (Fig.

4). The flange portion of the plug is formed with an extension or tab 45 adapted to fit within a corresponding extension 46 of the opening 42,

Each of the flaps 3| and 35 has a portion of one surface covered with adhesive 41 as indicated by the shaded portions (Fig. 2). The adhesive material does not extend onto the removable section 32 of the flap 3| so that when the flap is folded inward and adhered to the underlying ply, the removable section 32 remains unadhered to the underlying ply. The flap 35 also includes a bare section 48 which as shown comprises an v end portion of the lid section 31. It will be noted that the uncoated area 48 and that defined by the section 32 are of such extent and so positioned that when the flaps are folded inward the area 48 adjoins the section 32 and together they define an area substantially or approximately coextensive with that of the hinge section 31.

When the top flaps are folded into position, the three plies are firmly adhered together by the adhesive material 41. The strip 35 has adhesive material applied to the corner portions 49 by means of which such strip is adhered to the side wall of the container. The plug 43 when placed in position has its tab 45 seated in the recess 46 of the top ply 35 and is glued or otherwise attached to the removable section 32 of the intermediate ply 3 I.

When a blank III has been folded to form the body of the container, the bottom flaps may be folded in and cemented together. The top flaps are folded and secured in position as follows:

Flaps 26 and 21 are first folded inwardly at right angles to the side walls, to form the inner ply of the top. The flap 3|;7is then folded inwardly over the first ply and firmly adhered by the cementing material to the entire underlying surface of the first ply except that portion defined by the movable section 32. The uppermost ply 35 is then folded inwardly and adhered tothe middle ply 3|. The adhesive material on the flap 35 covers the entire area of the removable section 32 in the underlying ply except the area defined by the opening 42. After the top flap 35 has been folded into position, the strip 36 is bent down and the corner portions 49 sealed to the side wall IB.

When the plug 43 is placed in position, the tab 45 may be glued or otherwise attached to the underlying section 32, permitting the plug to be swung upwardly about said tab as a hinge. The plug serves to close and seal the empty container and may be readily withdrawn in a conventional manner to permit the container to be filled with a desired commodity. For example, if the'container is used as a milk bottle, it may be opened at the dairy and after the bottle is filled, the lid is lowered and the plug spread as shown in broken lines (Fig. 4) to form a hermetic seal. The flange of the plug protects the surface surrounding the fill opening against dust or other foreign matter before and after filling of the container, and thus protects the contents of the container against contamination.

The container may be opened by the consumer for dispensing the contents by inserting a knife blade or the like beneath, the strip 36, and lifting the section 31 which is readily severed along the weakened lines 39, so that said section is swung upwardly about the hinge line 38. As the section 32 of the inner ply is firmly adhered to the top section 31, it is lifted with the latter as an integral part thereof, as shown in Fig. 4. The blank area 48 leaves this swinging top section 31 free to swing from the hinge line 38. The weakened lines 34 along the section 32 and the lines 39 along the section 31, preferably are made to approximately coincide in the folded top, but the overlapping areas between the lines.do not interfere with severance of the material along said lines.

The hinge section 31 comprises a major portion of the top surface and fully covers the surface areas with which the milk or other contents of the container come in contact while being poured from the container. Such surfaces are thus kept clean so that the liquid being poured from the container is protected against contamination. The severing lines 39 of the hinge section may be brought as close as desired to the margins of the container. When the container is opened by the consumer the plug 43 is lifted with the hinged section 31 and is returned to scaling position in the pour opening when the lid 31 is again closed. The plug also serves as a friction means for holding the lid in closed position. When the hinged section 31 comprising the major portion of the top surface, is raised, particles of contaminating material which may have been deposited on the top of the closed container, are prevented from falling into the container into which the liquid is poured.

Modifications may be resorted to within the spirit and scope of our invention.

We claim: 9

1. A container comprising a rectangular body of sheet/material and a plural ply top comprising flaps integral with the side walls of said body and folded inwardly therefrom, said flaps forming a bottomor inner ply, an intermediate ply and a top outer ply, said intermediate ply being adhered to the bottom ply and comprising a removable section unadhered to said bottom ply and integrally united to the adhered portion of the intermediate ply by weakened lines defining said removable section, said top ply comprising a hinged section adapted to be swung up and down, said hinged section being adhered to the said removable section of the intermediate ply for lifting the latter and severing it along said weakened lines when said ged section is swung upward, said bottom ply a i d said removable and swinging sections each having an opening therethrough, the openings being in register to provide a pour opening, and a friction plug forming a closure for said openings, said'plug being hinged to said removable section of the intermediate ply for swinging movement to and from position for closing said pour opening while the said hinged section of the top ply is in its down position and so that the plug is wthdrawn from the pour opening and swings as a unit with the swinging section when the latter is lifted, the plug having a marginal flange seated on the removable section and fitting within the opening in said swinging section, with the upper surface of the flange substantially flush with the upper surface of the said swinging section.

2. A container comprising a rectangular tubular body consisting of a sheet of fibrous material folded to form said body, top flaps integral with said body and folded inwardly in superposed relation and forming a three-ply top, said top ineluding bottom, intermediate and top plies, the

, intermediate ply having a portion thereof adhered to the bottom ply by a layer of bonding materal, said intermediate ply including an unadhered removable section integrally connected with the said adhered portion thereof along weakened lines defining opposite edges of the removable section, the flap forming the top ply being adhered to said intermediate ply and said removable section by a layer of bonding material, said top ply including a hinged section overlying and adhered to the said removable section of the intermediate" ply whereby when said hinged section is lifted, the said removable section is severed along said weakened lines and lifted when the said hinged section as an integral part thereof, said bottom ply being formed with a pour opening therethrough beneath said hinged and removable sections, and a plug mounted to swing with said hinged section and forming a closure for the pour opening, said plug being movable into and out of position for closing the pour opening before the said severance of the removable section of the intermediate ply.

3. A container comprising a tubular body and a plural ply top, said top comprising an inner ply and'a cover section hinged to swing to and from a closed position overlying and flat against said inner ply and comprising a top ply and a second ply adhered to the under surface of said top ply, said inner ply having a pour opening therethrough, said hinged cover having an opening extending therethrough and through said second ply in register with said pour opening, and a plug on said cover section and extending through and sealing the opening therein, said plug having a marginal flange seated on the rim of the opening in the said second ply of said hinged section, said plug being mounted on and attached to the hinged cover section for movement relative thereto to and from position for closing said pour opening while the hinged cover section is held in closed position, and also to swing with the hinged cover section to and from position for closing the said pour opening;

4. A container having a plural ply top comprising an upper ply and a second ply therebeneath of sheet material, the lower ply having a circular filling opening therethrough, the-upper ply having a circular opening concentric with and of larger diameter than said filling opening,

whereby an annular surface portion of the second. ply, forming the rim of the filling opening, is exposed through said upper opening, and a plug closing said filling opening and having a flange fitting within said upper opening and seated on said rim, said container top including a bottom ply beneath said top and second piles and provided with an opening in register with the other said openings, said top and second plies being mounted to swing up and down as a unit relative to the lower ply for opening and closing the opening in said bottom ply, said plug being mounted for up-and-down movement with said swinging piles, and for separate swinging movement to and from position for closing the filling the door is in closed position, said plug being frictionally held in position to close the opening in the door and to swing as a unit with the door during the swinging of the door to and from its closed position, said plug being mounted to swing on the door to and from closed'position while the door is in its closed position.

CHARLES 0. BALL.

GERALD L. SWOPE.

FRANKLIN D. SCOTT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent;

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,020,536 Byrne Mar. 19, 1912 2,051,561 Lindblow Aug. 18, 1936 2,166,222 Ranko et al July 18, 1939 2,182,818 Murch Dec. 12, 1939 2,276,577 Hahn Mar. 17, 1942 2,290,185 Hinkle July 21, 1942 2,352,766 Bogue July 4, 1944 

